Do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?

It describes people who face conflict or challenge by denying reality.

When have you have observed leaders fail to acknowledge, let alone confront the issues staring them in the face?

Are there times when you prefer to look the other way, rather than tackles issues head-on?

Leaders ‘bury their heads in the sand’ by failing to recognise when people issues demand their intervention. We observe leaders turning a blind eye to behaviours that undermine the success & wellbeing of other people on the team.

3 Ostrich behaviours:

1. Closed topics
It matters that once a decision is made, people get on board & support it. However, it’s dangerous when leaders determine a subject can never be spoken about it again.

2. Denial
Some leaders refuse to acknowledge, even to themselves, the extent to which some issues or challenges matter.

3. False optimism
Being positive & believing things will work out is typically a good thing.

Leaders need to be careful not to adopt an inflated view of their business’s success or potential. Being real is critical to driving the outcomes you want.